Primal
by Morrigayn DeWyvern
Summary: Bumblebee is in primal heat and only Dreadwing can assist. My version of the trope that Bumblebee gets lost in the woods and meets someone. Prime AU.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This story has been in my head for about two weeks now. I can't get past it to write on my longer outstanding works. This story is not related to anything else although I may use the ideas on Cybertronian biology in other works. Basically, it is my idea on a rather worn trope about Bumblebee meeting someone in the woods. I hope I can do better than what I have tried to read. I have read FF definition of M so I am going to try keeping it within parameters. I don't agree with their policy, but I don't want to get banned nor deleted. I am taking it as a writing challenge instead of getting as upset as others have been._

_Terms:_

_Drake/Drakes-male Seeker_

_Draka/Drakae-hermaphroditic Seeker most resembling ground based Cybertronians_

_Drakona/Drakonae-femme Seeker_

_Cauldron-flock of Seekers (clan and extended family)_

_Eyrie-nest of Seekers (mated trines and children)_

_Some Seeker terms and actions are based on raptor biology. Concerning the nature of the inner wings, that is based on butterfly biology. _

_Bumblebee X Dreadwing_

_I don't own Transformers: Prime nor am I making money off of my writing._

Primal

Bumblebee squawked in pain at Bulkhead when he lightly tapped the left door wing of the yellow scout for winning a race game on the children's video games.

"Not so hard!" Bumblebee chirped in Cybertronian shorthand.

Bulkhead looked confused. "What?"

"Nothing!" Bumblebee whirred as he stalked out of the Rec. room to his recharge room. Bulkhead tried to follow and apologize when Ratchet put a hand on the big Wrecker's chest plates to stop him.

"Don't bother, Bulkhead." Ratchet said easily.

"What is wrong with Bee? He has been upset for about two weeks?"

Ratchet just smiled at Bulkhead's ignorance. "He is in his primal heat cycle. He is all out of sorts as his protoform, protocols and programming change. Eh, there will be a big problem shortly however. I guess it is time to call a Team Prime meeting."

Ratchet sent a ping to all of the Autobots present at the base. Arcee and Optimus joined Ratchet and Bulkhead in the medbay. Bumblebee came in last and flopped down on a med berth.

"I have called you all here to discuss Bumblebee's primal heat cycle…" Ratchet tried to begin.

Bumblebee buzzed in anger. "My personal issues are not open to discussion…" Tears of shame and anger ran down his faceplates.

Ratchet interrupted, "Bee calm down…this needs to be discussed…your issues are unique for the team…"

"Great…now I am a freak…" Bumblebee got up in a huff and stormed out of the med bay cursing in Cybertronian shorthand. The other Autobots could hear the yellow scout transform and tear out of the base at ungodly speeds.

Optimus looked at Ratchet with a very worried expression on his faceplates. "Please continue."

Ratchet began without preamble, "Bee is in his primal heat…"

Arcee spoke up then, "I thought primal heat was a Seeker thing?"

Bulkhead nodded in agreement.

Ratchet looked at both of them like they had bolts for processors. "Primal heat is a Seeker condition."

"Bee is a grounder." Bulkhead said as though that explained everything.

Ratchet face palmed, "You two are fragging idiots. Bumblebee's alternate form ON THIS PLANET is a car because there are no native craft that reflect his natural alternate form."

Ratchet snarled at the confused faceplates of Arcee and Bulkhead. "Do any of you know anything about Seekers?"

Bulkhead spoke up, "They fly?"

Ratchet threw a wrench with lightning speed. Bulkhead squawked in pain as it caught him dead between his optics.

"Primus on a pogo stick! No wonder the Seekers joined the 'Cons. The ignorance of the grounders is appalling."

Optimus risked opening his lip plates, "Ratchet, snarling at them is not helping them understand anything."

Ratchet turned a hard optic on the Prime and began to speak to them all like they were sparklings.

"Seekers are flight capable Cybertronians. They are split into three distinct groups with a fourth subgroup. The first group compromises the large space faring shuttles. The second group is the high altitude flyers. The third group is low altitude flyers and hover craft. The fourth group is those grounders with Seeker coding due to interbreeding at sometime in the past."

Arcee spoke up, "So Bee is in the fourth group?"

Ratchet shook his helm in the negative. "Bee is part of the third group. His original form was coded for a hovercraft. He chose a ground based form when we took him in as a youngling orphan. His door wings would have been hover fins. Here on Earth, there are no hover craft in common usage so he kept with the ground alternate, but it doesn't change what he is. That is where the problems lie."

"So he has Seeker heats…why not frag one of us?" Arcee asked.

Ratchet huffed at that. "If it were so easy. If this was a regular heat cycle, that would work; however, Bee is coming of age. This is his primal heat cycle. He has to mate and spark merge with another Seeker to download the final coding for his maturity. If he fails to do so, then he will grow into a neutered Seeker. Not fully Seeker and not a grounder."

Bulkhead looked lost. "I don't get it. I thought the Seekers were the same as us but could fly."

Optimus spoke up sadly, "If that were so then they would not have been so poorly treated on Cybertron. They are markedly different from grounder forms."

Ratchet spoke up again. "The virus that Jihaxus introduced into the Well of the All Spark all those trillions of vorns ago had profound effects. Now for grounders gender is completely a matter of spark. There is no physical difference between Prime and Arcee other than size and strength. All of us have gestational chambers and valves, spikes and transfluid reservoirs and feeding lines."

Bulkhead looked bored. This was basic stuff he learned as a youngling from his Sire and Creator.

Ratchet noticed Bulkhead's look and threw a wrench at him. Bulkhead ducked barely missing the flying tool.

"Hey!"

"Wake up, Bulkhead!" Bulkhead sat up and tried to look interested.

"The virus affected the Seekers differently. Seekers have three actual sexes. There is the Drake. A mech with only a spike and transfluid reservoirs. They are dominant and aggressive when in rut but tend to be pretty level unless their mates or hatchlings are in danger. Their wings have internal plates that are brightly colored and razor edged for display and fighting. The Draka is closest to us grounders. A mech that has both spike and valve and attached reservoirs. Drakona is the femme with only the gestational chamber and valve. Drakona are as rare as our femmes. Draka and Drakona are smaller than the Drakes. Their internal wing plates are thinner and more delicate in color and appearance."

Arcee and Bulkhead looked surprised. Prime knew all of this and was worried for Bee.

Optimus spoke up, "Bee is Draka."

"Seeker Draka and Drakona come into heat cycles. They emit pheromones which incite the Drakes to lust and rut. The Drakes sing to the Draka or Drakona in Seeker Cant as well as strut and display their wings or fly in complicated patterns or formations and/or fight with the other Drakes for the rights to mate…"

Arcee was fuming, "So a Drake gets to take any Draka or Drakona?"

Ratchet smiled at her anger, "No. If a Drake tried that he'd be missing optics at the least and his spike at the worst. Draka and Drakona are very choosy and can be quiet temperamental when in heat. Draka and Drakona are known to be the more violent of the Seekers sexes."

"While we can conceive anytime and do not have cycles, Draka and Drakona can only conceive while in heat although they can interface at anytime. That is one reason why there are fewer Seekers than grounders although they conceive in multiples of three. Draka can mate with Drakona although most Drakona prefer Drakes. Drakes are not usually choosy between Draka and Drakona."

"Draka and Drakona primal heat triggers changes in their protoforms. They need to mate and merge with a Drake to complete the process. A Drake's sexuality awakens with the scent of Draka or Drakona in heat and is completed when he mates and merges with a Draka or Drakona. Drakes and Draka/Drakona have to have the data download from a spark merge with the other to fully mature. If they don't then their internal wing structures atrophy and they are unable to reproduce. Being neuter causes many kinds of imbalances within the protoform and spark of the Seeker. It has been speculated that Starscream is neuter Draka. It is speculated that he was Megatron's berth mate when he came into primal heat, but grounders cannot bring about the final maturation of a fledgling Draka or Drakona though they can mate and rarely reproduce with a mature Draka or Drakona." Ratchet concluded.

"So…Bee is Draka in primal heat and needs to mate with a Drake to finish maturing…will he conceive?" Arcee asked.

"I thought Megatron was a Seeker." Bulkhead asked at the same time.

Ratchet answered, "Not likely. It is exceedingly rare for a Draka or Drakona to clutch eggs during a primal heat. Megatron has a flyer alternate but it does not change his basic coding of a grounder. No one is sure why he chose to scan for a flyer form unless it was to encourage the Seekers to join his cause."

"Eggs?" Bulkhead looked horrified.

Ratchet rolled his optics. "We give live birth to one or rarely two sparklings. Seekers clutch eggs in multiples of threes within their chambers and lay them when they are mature. The eggs are then carried in their chest plates until they hatch. The hatchlings then suckle and stay in their Sire's or Carrier's chest plates just as our sparklings do."

The Autobots all fell silent thinking about what had been said.

"So Bee has no one to mate with?" Arcee then asked in a small voice. She did not want Bee to suffer anymore than he had during the long war.

Optimus shook his helm and answered, "The Seeker Drakes on Earth are all Decepticons. There are plenty of Vehicon Drakes but I doubt they are strong enough to fight against Dreadwing who is the Wing Lord…most senior and dominant Drake… on the Nemesis to date."

"Dreadwing is honorable. Do you think we could contact him and see if he would court Bumblebee?" Bulkhead asked.

Optimus ventilated heavily. "Bumblebee was there when I offlined Skyquake. I doubt that Dreadwing would court Bee."

No one had an answer.

Meanwhile, Bumblebee was tearing through the desert fishtailing on the sand and gravel. He had left the road sometime back. Everything from his spark to his body ached. Bumblebee was trying to drive some of the excess energy from his protoform to ease the congestion and aches. Bee came to a halt in front of the foothills leading into the mountains. He transformed into his root mode and began to climb. He was doing his best to flee the hopelessness of his situation.

Bumblebee climbed until he was deep into the foothills that were covered in thick pine forests and scrub. He found a clearing around a lake that reflected the surrounding pines and sky like a mirror. Bumblebee threw himself down by the pond and absently looked at his reflection.

Bee's body had begun to reflect the changes the heat had brought on. Bumblebee's colors had deepened and his finish had a high glossy sheen. The yellow was a bright sunflower yellow and the black was pitch with glossy hints of stardust. Bee could see his door wings were very erect and trembling. He could also see the pulsating bulge of seals along the middle of the seams of his door wings. His door wings were hot and painful to the touch. The internal structures were maturing and soon would break free of the seals if he could mate and download the last of the coding.

Bee also could feel the pulsating of his valve and feel the uncomfortable rivulets of his desire caking and drying on his thigh plates as well as feel the pressure of his spike in its housing. Worst of all to Bumblebee was the heavy scent his protoform was exuding. No amount of washing could remove it. He hated all these changes that marked him different from his adopted family and wished with his entire spark that it would just go away.

Bumblebee was surprised to feel the cool air ghosting across his interface equipment. His panel had retracted automatically. He hadn't noticed when it happened so lost in his misery. The cool air did nothing to calm the raging hunger. Bee stared at his aroused interface array in fascination. He had never seen an aroused interface array in real life. He tentatively touched his body and was soon lost to the sensations his touch provoked.

Dreadwing was out flying with a cadre of Vehicon drones. They lazily performed aerial sweeps looking for Autobot activity or energon signatures of either the regular or dark variety. It was very quiet lately for both Autobots and energon finds. Dreadwing was absently monitoring the drones when they abruptly broke formation.

Dreadwing sent out a song of Seeker Cant demanding that they reform and continue their patrol. They ignored his command. They were performing intricate aerial displays of Drakes in rut. Dreadwing did not know of any Vehicon Seeker Drakae that were in heat and there were no Vehicon Drakonae aboard the Nemesis. Dreadwing engaged his thrusters to make contact with the Vehicon Drakes. As he approached their coordinates, Dreadwing caught the scent of a Seeker Draka in primal heat.

Dreadwing's rut protocols flared to life. The colors of his protoform quickly lightened. His yellow became a bright dandelion yellow and the blue brightened to a brilliant azure. His internal structures of his wings slid free. His wingspan doubled in seconds. The internals were brighter than his hue. The razor edges glinted wickedly in the sunlight. His protoform began to exude the heavy musk of a dominant Drake in rut. He quickly overcame the smaller Vehicon drakes in maneuvers and speed. The Drakes came together and fell apart in aerial displays and ritualized fights. They tumbled and circled for many hours.

In the end, the Vehicon Drakes had to concede defeat to the Wing Lord of the Nemesis and returned to the ship. Many of the Vehicon Seeker Drakes acquired deep cuts in their wings and chest plates fighting Dreadwing for mating rights. Dreadwing continued to circle the area trying to pinpoint the source of the delightful scent of a Draka in primal heat.

Dreadwing began to sing the mating song of a Seeker Drake hoping to coax the shy Draka out. The Draka hadn't taken to the skies to choose a mate as was the norm. Dreadwing began to wonder if the Draka was a lone Seeker that had crash landed on Earth and was injured. Dreadwing continued to circle and sing hoping to get the Draka to respond. Judging by the scent, the Draka had been in primal heat for an orn and was still unmated. The Draka had to be in physical pain and consumed with hunger by now. Those thoughts aroused protective instincts of the dominant Drake.

Dreadwing noticed a shiny reflection near a pool hidden in the thick pine woods. He circled over the pool to get a better look. The scent of the Draka became intense. He was astounded at the sight. The Draka in heat was the Autobot scout that had fought his brother on Optimus' commands. The Draka was splayed out on the floor of the forest touching his interface arrays and caressing his wings all while chirping and trilling pleasure. Furthermore, the little Draka's scent was not of a hybrid with Seeker coding but of a true Seeker. Dreadwing began to descend. He trilled a quick inquiry greeting to Bumblebee as he landed.

Bumblebee's optics un-shuttered quickly at the sound of Dreadwing landing. Bee had been lost in the sensations of exploring his awakened protoform and had not noticed the aerial displays above him nor Dreadwing's singing and descent. Bumblebee squawked and rolled away from Dreadwing and came up in a fighting stance with is weapons honed in on the large Drake.

Dreadwing understood the fear and response of the little Draka, but he was not here for revenge. A Draka could rarely defeat a Drake. It had been Optimus that had killed his spark twin. Dreadwing chirped and cooed in Seeker Cant to calm the overwrought Draka.

"What are you doing?" Bumblebee whirred in Cybertronian shorthand. He didn't understand Seeker Cant though it roused something deep within at the sounds Dreadwing was emitting. Dreadwing's stance was provocative as was the deep, heavy musk the Seeker Drake was emitting. Bumblebee's protoform and Seeker protocols responded the scent and posture of Dreadwing and another wave of desire flooded the young scout's body causing him to keen and whine in pain and pleasure. The confused pings caused Bumblebee to react in panic, and he shot at Dreadwing.

Dreadwing easily maneuvered the panicked shots of Bumblebee. Confusion showed on Dreadwing's faceplates, "You do not understand Seeker Cant?" Dreadwing made no sudden moves around Bumblebee. He desperately needed to calm the Draka and convince him to mate. Rut was making it hard for Dreadwing to think with higher processes much less in the grounder Cybertronian tongue.

Bumblebee looked down in shame and shook his helm in the negative. "I lost my parents and was adopted by Optimus…" Bee buzzed.

"He told you nothing of your heritage?" Dreadwing asked outraged at the idea that a grounder took in a Seeker.

Bumblebee came to the defense of his adopted parent. "No! I quit speaking Seeker Cant when he took me in. I was a youngling barely old enough to be out of chest plates. No one other than Ratchet and Optimus understood Cant so I learned Cybertronian and slowly forgot Cant."

"Are you ashamed of being Seeker, little Draka?" Dreadwing growled at Bumblebee.

Bee whirred in anger at the large Drake. "I don't know anything about being Seeker. The only thing I know is that my parents were part of a Cauldron that was split on joining the 'Cons. My parents and others like them were massacred by the Cauldron and the representatives of the 'Cons for refusing to join."

Dreadwing face showed disgust. He never agreed with those of his Cauldron and Eyrie that refused to join the 'Cons, but the most dishonorable thing a Seeker could do was to betray and murder within his Cauldron and Eyrie. Within Dreadwing's Cauldron, the neutrals were given permission to form a new Cauldron and flee. He had heard of Cauldron's fighting and dying over the choice to join the Decepticon cause, but he had never actually met a Seeker from a Cauldron or Eyrie that had suffered from such dishonorable actions.

"I am sorry you have suffered, little Draka…" Dreadwing started.

"My name is Bumblebee!" Bee gesticulated wildly at Dreadwing. He was overwrought from the heat, angry at the memories and battle ready.

Dreadwing laughed low and gently. "Bumblebee."

He thought about the Cybertronian equivalent that would be the fledgling Draka's name, Buzz Beetle. A buzz beetle was an inorganic insect-like creature native to the Crystal Gardens that help to propagate the growth of the crystals. It was very apt even when translated into Seeker Cant. It was a term of endearment from a parent to a hatchling. The flush of humor and tenderness in Dreadwing helped to soften the raging protocols of the rut. Dreadwing understood that Bumblebee was confused and in pain with absolutely no understanding of his protocols or Seeker culture.

Dreadwing began to softly sing to Bumblebee in Seeker Cant. His wings fluttered in soothing motions. Dreadwing was determined to court this fledgling Draka. Energon was thicker than faction, and Bumblebee was Seeker.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Butterflies and moths must struggle to exit the chrysalis and cocoon respectively. It causes hemolymph to be pushed up into the vesicles of the wing helping them to partially uncurl. After emergence, they hang upside down for some time pumping their wings using gravity to help draw the hemolymph into the wing structures and for the wings to dry and harden. If they fall or otherwise are interrupted, it stops the process and the wings remain curled and atrophy preventing the butterfly or moth from flying. In captivity, most butterfly farmers take care of the disabled butterflies and moths; however, in the wild, this would be a death sentence. Also some butterflies do not have scales on their wings. It is just another permutation of butterfly wing design. In my mind, Seeker internal wing structures have to rupture through the seals along the edge of the outer wing structures this is accomplished by spark merge to download code and overload to help pump the fluids into the wing structures and activate the protocols for the internal structures to finish unfurling, dry and harden._

Ratchet was watching the monitors closely following Bumblebee's meandering trek into the forest. He notified Optimus when the 'Con Vehicon Seekers showed up on the monitors and began to perform ritual aerial displays.

"Optimus, come to the monitors. There is something you need to see." Ratchet commed.

"On my way." Optimus quickly left his office and met Ratchet.

"Vehicon Seekers were spotted on the monitors near the vicinity of Bumblebee. Apparently, they have picked up on his scent. They have broken from scouting formation and are displaying in rut."

Optimus and Ratchet watched for some moments at the Vehicon Seeker Drakes.

"Do you think Bumblebee will accept one?" Optimus asked.

Ratchet was about to speak with Dreadwing's signature showed up on the monitors.

"By the All Spark, Dreadwing has appeared. He must have been leading the scouting mission."

Both watched in rapt awe as Dreadwing overpowered the Vehicon Drakes. They watched the Vehicon Drakes' signatures slowly retreated. Dreadwing continued to circle.

"He is looking for Bumblebee, Prime. I want to ground bridge in. Bumblebee is likely confused and in pain. I'll keep a safe distance and will not interfere unless Bumblebee refuses Dreadwing."

"Do you think he'll hurt Bee?" Optimus asked in genuine concern.

"I doubt it. Between his rut protocols and his inherent honor, he'll not harm Bumblebee on purpose. Seekers are very different from us." Ratchet concluded as he opened the ground bridge and stepped through.

Optimus watched as Ratchet winked out of the Autobot base then turned back to watch the monitors.

Ratchet stepped out of the ground bridge. He quickly made his way to the clearing where Bumblebee and Dreadwing were. He stepped out in the open to be seen and raised his arms in a gesture of openness. Ratchet could smell the heavy musk of Dreadwing's rut and the lighter, sweeter scent of Bumblebee's heat.

Dreadwing turned quickly at the sound of an intruder. His wings flared impressively. He made loud screeches and trills. His talons descended from his digit tips. He took a step toward the red and white medic.

Ratchet saw the display and stopped immediately. He could see Bumblebee was unhurt. "Bee, are you okay?" Ratchet asked loudly in Seeker Cant using tones of a parent to a hatchling as well as using the internal comm. in Cybertronian.

Dreadwing calmed immediately when he recognized the tones of the grounder. His wings dropped a few millimeters and the talons retracted. Ratchet wasn't here to take the little Draka away from Dreadwing. It would have been a fierce battle if he had tried.

Bee buzzed back in Cybertronian shorthand, "I am fine, Ratchet. What are you doing here?"

"I am here to make sure you wish to let Dreadwing court you." Ratchet responded in Seeker Cant and using the comm.

"I…I don't know." Bee whirred in confusion.

Dreadwing spoke up in Cybertronian, "There are no Drakes to mate with amongst the Autobots, Bumblebee. Let me court you. I swear as Wing Lord, you will not be harmed and will return to your people, little Draka."

Bumblebee looked at Ratchet. Ratchet could see the bulging, pulsating seals on Bee's outer wings and knew that Bumblebee had to be in pain. He also noticed that the young scout's interface array was still exposed and aroused. Ratchet knew there was really no other answer. Ratchet ventilated heavily. "I will monitor at the base." Ratchet sang in Cant.

Ratchet turned to Bee, "If you need anything or want to stop, comm. me. I will open a ground bridge for you."

Bee nodded and relaxed fractionally. He knew he was not being abandoned with the large Drake. Ratchet slowly and quietly made his way to open Ground Bridge and returned to the Autobot base.

Optimus was waiting for Ratchet to return. He was surprised when Ratchet returned alone. "Bumblebee is going to let Dreadwing court him?"

Ratchet nodded. "He is going to try. I will monitor the situation from here. If Bumblebee chooses to stop with the courtship, then I will retrieve him."

Optimus and Ratchet settled at the monitors.

Bee turned back to face Dreadwing after Ratchet left through the Ground Bridge. Dreadwing gently reached for the fledgling Draka. Dreadwing knew if he could touch the Bee, it would be easier to court him and convince Bumblebee of his honorable intentions.

Touch was a Seeker's Achilles' heel. Seekers craved and needed touch. They were conceived and hatched in trines. A hatchling's first bonds were with its siblings and parents. Everything a Seeker did growing up was with its natal trine or its parental trine. Physical touch, scent, EM fields all were part of the whole. As adults, they bonded and often mated in trines. Dreadwing was privately awed that the young Draka had survived so well away from Seekers among the grounders. It showed the Bumblebee's tenacity of spark.

Dreadwing softened his stance and reached for Bumblebee softly singing to him. Bee shook his head at the gesture.

"Don't bother singing to me, Dreadwing. I don't remember a lot and even if I did I cannot answer you. Your lord made sure of that. You needn't worry about hurting me…you can take what you want…Megatron did." Bee whirred in bitter anger and self loathing.

Dreadwing was confused and it showed on his faceplates. In a rare gesture, Bumblebee opened and retracted the battle mask that covered his lower face. Dreadwing gasped at the sight. Bee's lip plates and lower jaw were a mass of crisscrossed heavy scars. They ran down his throat to meet in a huge keloid scar that was a starburst.

Bee commed him directly internally. _"I have no voice without the amplifier on my mask. What little of my voice coder that is functional after Megatron ripped me to shreds makes sounds almost too low for grounders to register and are low by Seeker standards. Megatron raped me as he tore me apart. There are no seals for you to worry about. Let's just get this done so I can go home." _Bee turned his back so he would not see the disgust on the Dreadwing's face. The little Draka was ugly and befouled, and Bumblebee knew it.

Absolute fury consumed Dreadwing. His crimson optics darkened till they were almost black. His wings arched high and his talons fully extended. He roared in rage. How could his lord behave so dishonorably? What evil had taken root in his lord's spark to wreak such an abomination on a hatchling? Dreadwing's weapons onlined and his swords unsheathed unconsciously. Dreadwing's body was shuddering with emotion and heat was rolling of him in waves inundating the young scout.

Bumblebee squawked in fear at Dreadwing's display of fury. He was sure he was going to be attacked for maligning Dreadwing's master. Everyone knew of his blind devotion to Megatron. Bee screamed in pain as he tried to transform to his alternate mode to get away from the raging Drake. His protoform was too congested with fluids and his joints and transformation seams and cables did not have the range of motion that would normally have. Error messages popped up on Bumblebee's HUD and his protoform and frame aborted the transformation sequence. Bumblebee collapsed in a heap as waves of white hot agony rolled through his body.

Dreadwing had watched in horrified fascination as Bumblebee tried to transform. "Foolish, Draka, you cannot transform right now!" Dreadwing railed as he stalked up to the fallen scout.

Bee cringed and whimpered, "Don't hurt me please…I'll do whatever you want…just don't hurt me…"

The fury evaporated from Dreadwing at the sound of broken resignation from the little Draka. Sorrowful understanding flooded Dreadwing. Bumblebee was afraid Dreadwing was going to hurt him like Megatron did. Dreadwing ventilated heavily and knelt down. He gently picked up the Bumblebee and cradled him against his chest plates. Dreadwing gently caressed the young scout's back and gently massaged the door wing joints. Dreadwing made soft sounds of reassurance to Bumblebee.

"I would never hurt you, little Draka. My rage is at my lord. What evil has consumed him? He never acted that way in the beginning?" Dreadwing voiced painful betrayal.

Bumblebee nuzzled into the larger frame of the Drake and buzzed, "Your lord has been driven insane by Dark Energon."

Dreadwing ventilated again. He had heard those same sentiments whispered among the 'Con ranks. He pushed that thought away. He would contemplate his lord later. Right now, Bumblebee was the large Seeker Drake's priority.

Dreadwing felt the erratically fluxing spark and EM fields of Bumblebee begin to calm at Dreadwing's ministrations. The large Drake held the smaller Draka for a long time and quietly meshed EM fields. Bee's nervousness and pain began to recede. Dreadwing gently encouraged the scout to look at him. Bee shyly pulled his face plates from the chest of Dreadwing.

Dreadwing's optics were their normal crimson. Dreadwing gently caressed Bumblebee's scarred derma. He could see the damage had been great. Dreadwing made a small sound of sadness and gently nuzzled Bumblebee's cheek plates with his own. Bumblebee made a small sound of surprised pleasure and leaned into Dreadwing's gentle touch.

With gentle coos and caresses Dreadwing and Bumblebee became acquainted. The heat and rut protocols began to reassert in both of them. Soon both the Drake and the Draka were lost in pleasurable sensations and hungry curiosity. Heavy outer armor was slowly discarded amidst gentle caresses. Bumblebee made soft sobbing sounds as their bare protoforms gently touched. He was aching for touch but scared of remembered pain.

Closer inspection by Dreadwing revealed raised scars all across the little one's protoform. Bumblebee had not exaggerated when he said that Megatron had torn him to shreds. Dreadwing resolved in his spark to awaken the young Draka to pleasure. He gently ran his digits around the Bumblebee's interface array. Bumblebee made small rhythmic movements to match Dreadwing's gently inquiry. Dreadwing could see the young Draka's protoform was too congested for mating. It would hurt Bumblebee greatly to be taken no matter how gentle Dreadwing tried to be.

"Little one…Bumblebee…you cannot mate right now. Your protoform is too congested. We will spark merge and your internal wings will emerge. That will lessen the congestion greatly." Dreadwing softly spoke as he continued to caress the young scout's valve entrance.

Bumblebee made soft buzzing and whirring sounds and clung limply to the large Drake. Bumblebee opened his chest plates revealing his spark and in a gesture of complete trust he opened the crystal casing. Dreadwing was overwhelmed at the total acceptance of the young scout. Dreadwing opened his chest plates and spark chamber. Bumblebee leaned in and their sparks began to merge.

Small arcs of energy began to curl between their sparks. Their sparks slowly connected in tiny filaments of energy and light. Soon the two sparks were pulsing in tandem and drawing in. The coronas of the Drake and Draka touched. Bumblebee arched up and cried out at the overwhelming sensation. Dreadwing wrapped his arms tightly around the young scout and held him firmly.

Bumblebee could feel Dreadwing's spark energy penetrating his spark. The vibrant energy was thundering with rut hunger. Bumblebee's spark was greedily drawing the energy and data from Dreadwing's. Bumblebee could feel the data uncurling and flooding his systems. Barely remembered memory trees flared from dormancy inundating Bumblebee's systems and combining with data from Dreadwing. It was too much and somehow not enough. Bumblebee's systems and protoform was engulfed in brilliant, hot energy that continued to build. Bumblebee finally felt the energy and data peak. His spark convulsed in harsh overload. Pleasure and pain rippled through the young scout's protoform. He writhed and shrieked. He felt the seals on long his outer door wing panels simultaneously rupture with his overload and his internal wing structures burst free with a splash of hot and sticky fluids. His internal wings clung to his back in a wet mass. Bumblebee collapsed against Dreadwing and felt the spurts of Dreadwing's release against his abdomen.

Dreadwing felt his spark energy being ravenously drawn into the fledgling Draka. Bumblebee surged toward Dreadwing, and Dreadwing clutched the little Draka tightly. Dreadwing was riding the cresting wave of energy, data and pleasure. The young one writhed and trilled as his protoform and systems accepted Dreadwing. When Bumblebee overloaded, Dreadwing felt the scalding splash of fluids on his arms as the young Draka's wing structures emerged from the external wing structures. Dreadwing moaned and keened as his spike spurted his release thickly across the young Draka's abdomen.

Dreadwing slowly untwined his spark from the young scout's and closed his chest plates. Bumblebee's chest plates slid closed. Dreadwing could see that Bumblebee was not really aware. His protoform and systems were still trying to integrate the data. Dreadwing gently slid his hands to the joints of the little Draka's wings and began to manually pump Bumblebee's wings up and down to encourage energon and fluid expansion in the newly emerged internal wing structures. Bumblebee mewed in pain.

"I know, Bumblebee, it hurts. You must try to pump your wings. The pain will pass as the energon and fluids completely uncurl your wings."

Bumblebee nodded into Dreadwing's neck cables and made an effort to pump his wings. His movements were weak and sluggish at best. Dreadwing could see overwhelming exhaustion in the fledgling Draka's optics and posture. Being in uncompleted heat as long as he had overtaxed Bumblebee's systems. Truly, in another day or so, the young scout's body would have begun to overheat and systems would have begun to malfunction producing a neutered Seeker unstable in spark and system.

Dreadwing continued to assist the young Draka to pump his wings. Dreadwing could see as they slowly unfurled, hardened and dried, Bumblebee's wings were a very pale, pastel yellow with ash gray markings along the energon veins. They were translucent as all Draka and Drakona were, but Bumblebee's wings showed a rare mutation.

In most Seekers, the internal wing structures were covered with fine scales that enhanced color. In rare instances, some Seekers did not have scales. It did not hurt or weaken the wing structures, and the wings were a lovely delicate shade lighter than what could develop with scaled wings. The wings were smooth and uniform. Bumblebee carried this mutation. His wings were delicate and exquisitely lovely.

Dreadwing noticed Bumblebee had fallen into an exhausted recharge moments after his wings completed the drying and hardening cycle. Dreadwing's rut was not sated and was demanding that he mate with the young Draka folded against him. Dreadwing also knew the little Draka's heat was not satisfied either and that Bumblebee was going to be a bundle of hungry, demanding urges when he awakened from recharge now that the little Draka was not going to suffering from congested pain. Dreadwing tried to compose himself and rest. It was not unheard of for Drakes to mate until stasis lock trying to satisfy the urges of Drakae or Drakonae in primal heat.


	3. Chapter 3

Dreadwing woke with a start. He had fallen into deep recharge sometime during the previous night cycle of the Earth. His optics un-shuttered and immediately he noticed the absence of the young Draka, Bumblebee. Dreadwing growled and immediately began to sing in Seeker Cant calling to the wayward Draka fearing the little Draka had been taken by another Drake. Dreadwing immediately relaxed when he heard the muted returning call of the little Draka in Seeker Cant.

Apparently, the download from the spark merge revived dormant memory trees in Bumblebee. Dreadwing rose from the ground and winced as dirt and organic matter ground in his joints. He belatedly noticed the itch of dried fluids from Bumblebee's wing emergence on his arms and the caked drying transfluids on his abdomen and thighs. Dreadwing rose and followed the quiet chirrs and chirps of Bumblebee down to the edge of pool in the clearing. Dreadwing's ventilations caught at the sight.

Sunlight filtered through the heavy pine forest illuminating the pool in a bright corona of light. Bumblebee was chest deep in the clear pool of water. He was chirring and buzzing in happiness as he fluttered his wings with the internal structures flicking water here in bright arcs while letting his arms and hands drift in the water. Bumblebee noticed Dreadwing and gave him a bright smile and waved to the Drake.

"Hey, Dreadwing, come on in. I woke up itchy and decided to take a bath…our fluids aren't dangerous to the organic life forms…" Bumblebee opened his arms to the welcome the large Seeker into the water.

Bumblebee had woken feeling little pain other than a few twinges from the night before. The congestion had greatly reduced in his protoform and the desire was much more manageable than before the spark merge. He didn't have error messages popping up on his HUD. He then noticed the caked and itchy fluids from his wing emergence heavily coating his back and shoulders and the transfluid from Dreadwing's overload flaking on his abdomen and the rivulets of his own desire caked and drying on his thighs. Bumblebee hated the feeling, decided to take a bath in the pool and lost himself in the pleasure of the water on his Heat sensitive protoform and wings.

Dreadwing smiled gently at the implicit trust in Bumblebee's demeanor. Dreadwing had noticed the young Draka did not have his battle mask closed nor had he put back on his heavy battle armor. The little Draka was bare except for the basic protoform armor that all Cybertronian sparklings or hatchlings were born or hatched with. Overall, Bumblebee seemed relaxed and confident in the large Drake's presence. Dreadwing did notice that the water had amplified the delightful scent emanating off of Bumblebee. Dreadwing's desire roared to life as he tentatively stepped into the pool.

"I don't think I will fit, little one." Dreadwing sang in Cant. If the water only came to Bee's chest then it would barely come to Dreadwing's waist.

Bumblebee smelled the strong musk of rut emanating from Dreadwing and felt his own desire wake. The spark merge had completely calmed Bumblebee's fears. He also knew that Dreadwing admired and desired him for himself not just because he was in heat. Bumblebee gave a shy, sweet smile to Dreadwing.

"You could sit, and I could wash you?" Bumblebee sang back in Cant. "The deepest area is over there." Bumblebee pointed to a spot of darker water.

Dreadwing's spark sang at the invitation then he frowned for a moment, "I don't want mud in my joints, Bee."

"The bottom of this pool is rock with a small bit of sand and gravel. It was carved from glaciers millions of Earth years ago. It is fed from artesian aquifers. It is okay." Bee sang with a small note of pleading in his muted voice. Bumblebee desperately wanted to touch Dreadwing's bare protoform.

Dreadwing rumbled an assent in Seeker Cant that sent Bumblebee's circuits singing. Dreadwing slowly made his way into the cool water welcoming the relief from the itching and flaking on his bare protoform and basic armor. He, too, had decided not to re-armor when he ascertained from scans that he and the young Draka were alone. He made his way to the deepest part of the pool and slowly sat down noticing that there was very little gravel or sand in the area and no mud. When sitting, the water came to his chest. He flicked his wings and extended his heavily armored and scaled internal wings enjoying the cool water lapping on them as he languidly moved them. He felt Bumblebee move up behind him and begin to gently wash the large Drake's wings and back.

"Hmm…that feels good, Bumblebee." Dreadwing softly sang at the light touches and sensuous caresses of the young Draka. He gasped when he felt the soft, pliable lip plates of Bumblebee gently pressed against his wings. Dreadwing trembled at the unfamiliar touch.

Bumblebee buzzed in happiness as he continued to gently wash and kiss the large Drake's back and wings.

"What are you doing?" Dreadwing gasped out as pleasure sang down in his senor rich wings and back seemingly straight to his painfully hard spike pushing at aggressively at its housing.

"Kissing you." Bumblebee chirped.

"What is that?" Dreadwing whimpered as the pleasure built.

"A human thing." Bumblebee buzzed. Bumblebee slowly made his way around Dreadwing gently washing and kissing available protoform. When Bumblebee moved to face Dreadwing, Dreadwing lunged forward and grabbed the young Draka sending sheets of water flying through the air from the sudden movement and yanked him close rubbing his cheek plates against Bumblebee in the Cybertronian equivalent of a kiss.

Bumblebee wrapped his arms around the Drake's neck and leaned in and pressed his lip plates to Dreadwing's in Dreadwing's first kiss. Bumblebee's slowly taught Dreadwing how to kiss. Dreadwing was a quick study and soon was sucking the lip plates of the young Draka and lapping his glossa deep inside Bumblebee's oral cavity relishing the taste. Dreadwing loved this human thing…this kissing.

Dreadwing caressed Bumblebee's wings and protoform. He then began to kiss, nuzzle and nip along the young Draka's neck cables and derma protoform on his chest and shoulders. Bee's interface panel retracted at the stimulation. Bee rubbed his hot and open panel against Dreadwing's. The cool water was a stark contrast to the heat emanating from his body. Bumblebee mewed in pleasure.

Dreadwing's spike sprang from its housing at the soft sounds of pleasure emanating from Bumblebee. He groaned as he felt Bumblebee's hot valve bump against his spike.

"We should move this out of the water, young one." Dreadwing murmured against Bumblebee's internal wing structures. He didn't want the water to wash away the pre-transfluids or lubricant from Bumblebee's valve and make mating painful for the little Draka.

Bee arched up at the sensations and cried out. Dreadwing gently gathered the panting Draka up in his arms and gently carried him to the hot, dry stones on the shore of the pool. Dreadwing went to his knee struts encouraging Bumblebee to wrap his legs around his waist and cling to him. Bumblebee was confused and chirped questioningly.

"Seekers don't usually interface lying down like grounders. Our wings are an important part of our mating and pleasure. I cannot stimulate your wings nor you mine if one of us is lying down. It is also uncomfortable." Dreadwing explained in gently coos and chirps of Seeker Cant. To prove the point, Dreadwing gently brushed a talon across the joints of Bumblebee's wings causing him to whimper in pleasure and flex his wings wider.

Dreadwing slowly aligned his spike to Bumblebee's valve. Bee made small sounds of fear at those movements. Dreadwing stopped immediately knowing the very real fears of pain of Bumblebee.

"It will not hurt, little one. Our mating is not brutal like a grounder." Dreadwing explained and waited. He gently continued to stimulate the small Draka's wings, protoform and valve entrance.

Bumblebee's hunger reached a point of frustration, and he made the decision. Bumblebee slowly became one with Dreadwing. Dreadwing moaned in pleasure as he felt the Bumblebee take the initiative to mate. Bumblebee was surprised at the pleasure and languorous pace of their movements. There were no brutal thrusts or joint wrenching positions. They moved together in slow, gentle pleasure seeking to enhance the pleasure of the other.

Dreadwing and Bumblebee mated for hours wringing overload after overload from the other as one earth day moved into another. The young Draka's chest plates opened of their own accord and Dreadwing could not resist the invitation. They merged as they mated. Each merge brought more memories and personality forward. They found delight in the other. Bumblebee curled around the large Drake as he fell into exhausted recharge.

Bumblebee woke early one morning. He knew his Primal Heat was over. He was whole and healthy no longer burning to mate, and his internal wings had retracted automatically. He smiled at the normal feeling. He then noticed the warm arms of Dreadwing surrounding him and the large wings of the Seeker Drake wrapped protectively around them. Bumblebee made a sad chirr. Their time was over.

Dreadwing stirred at the sounds of Bumblebee crying. Once completely awake, he knew immediately that the young one was no longer in Heat. A fierce possessiveness gripped Dreadwing, he did not want to give up Bumblebee. Indeed, he wanted him for his mate. Dreadwing clenched the small Draka to himself instinctively. Bumblebee leaned into the embrace and gently pushed away after a moment. It was hard, but Dreadwing let him go.

Bumblebee looked at Dreadwing in the optics with real affection and gratitude combined with deep and genuine sorrow. "I must return to my people, Dreadwing." Bumblebee sang in Seeker Cant.

Dreadwing nodded slowly and gently wiped the tears from the face plates of the young Draka. "I want you for my mate, Bumblebee."

Bumblebee nodded at that. "I know. I saw it when we merged. You were fighting the bonding protocols…" Bumblebee chirred softly at loss at what to say or do. The irrational part wanted to cling to Dreadwing and never let go becoming the dominant Draka in the beginnings of a Trine. He knew Dreadwing and he would eventually want a third…another Draka or a Drakona to complete them. Then the rational part asserted itself.

Bumblebee knew how seriously Dreadwing took his vows. Dreadwing was a better Cybertronian than anyone in Team Prime or the Autobots knew. He was committed to the original ideals of the Decepticons even if Megatron had fallen far from those in recent vorns. Bumblebee also was committed to Autobot ideals. There was no future for the two Seekers.

Dreadwing could see the warring thoughts on the young Draka's face plates and felt the pain bloom in his spark acknowledging the hopelessness of it all. Dreadwing pulled Bumblebee into a hug and kissed him awkwardly. "I must go now, Bumblebee. Perhaps…later…"

Dreadwing turned from Bumblebee and picked up Bee's heavy outer armor and began to help the young Draka put everything back on. Bee then helped Dreadwing. Both were silent and lost in painful thoughts facing the other.

Dreadwing stood at attention and flared his wings impressively and grasped the young Draka's arms one warrior to another. "Farewell, Bumblebee. Fly with honor." Giving the traditional Seeker blessing.

Dreadwing then turned and transformed emitting a sonic boom as he flew into the morning sky to return to the Nemesis. Bumblebee watched the disappearing form for long moments and ventilated heavily. He then commed Ratchet. The ground bridge opened immediately. Bumblebee walked though and the bridge winked out in an instant.


End file.
